Following the retirement of Worcester’s long-time Health and Human Services Commissioner Dr. Matilde Castiel, the City has named Seema Dixit as her successor.
Dixit started with the City of Worcester on Tuesday, having most recently worked at the Rhode Island Department of Health, where she had served as deputy director for the past four years, according to a Friday press release from the City and Dixit’s LinkedIn profile.
“Dixit brings a wealth of experience leading public health programs and operations,” Worcester City Manager Eric Batista said in the release. “She has proven success in managing multimillion-dollar programs, leading interagency partnerships, and advancing policy.”
Dixit began working at the Rhode Island Department of Health in 2003, according to the release, having previously served as the director of its division of Environmental Health and lead of its community mitigation and enforcement for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
She graduated from Tufts University in Medford with master’s degrees in international health and public policy; and epidemiology and health administration. She earned her bachelor’s degree from SNDT Women’s University in India.
“I look forward to working alongside our dedicated staff, community partners, and residents to strengthen public health, expand access to essential services, and build equitable health systems as deserved by the community,” Dixit said in the release.
Dixit’s appointment comes five months after Castiel retired as the City’s health & human services commissioner after 10 years in the role and 36 years as a physician. She was inducted into the Worcester Business Journal Hall of Fame in 2021.
Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare, manufacturing, and higher education industries.
